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Risks are
present wherever flammable or hazardous materials are produced, stored, processed,
compressed or handled. Facilities that pose a risk to personnel injury, property damage
and/or environmental impact should have an effective Safety and Environmental Management
(SEMP) Program in place. Such programs help to prevent incidents from occurring and
minimize risks through the identification, assessment and mitigation of potential serious
incidents. Effective SEMP programs ensure a thorough analysis of facility hazards to
identify how accidents may occur, and provide the recommendations necessary to reduce
their likelihood of occurrence or mitigate consequences.
Known as Process Safety
Management (PSM) for many years by the onshore refiners and chemical plants, the MMS has
endorsed and now requires that every owner and operator working offshore have a written
SEMP plan. The control of process risks requires that a comprehensive program such as SEMP
be implemented to provide an effective safety management system to prevent potentially
serious incidents from occurring and/or minimizing the consequences of an event, which
ultimately will reduce overall liability and net operating costs. |